Scotch
The Whisky of Scotland in fact and story
by Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, KCMG
Published in 1974 by Putnam & Company, London.
title author publisher year (first) isbn language pp book size edition Scotch The Whisky of Scotland in fact and story Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart KCMG Putnam & Company, London UK 1959 0370000609 english 184 hardcover 143x223 5th; 1974
The introduction on the sleeve jacket reads as follows:
The water of life - such was the original Gaelic name for whisky, a succinct expression of the worship which the Highland Spirit has always inspired, from those misty days when it was the coveted brew of mountain tribesmen, to its now acknowledged eminence, liquid gold, the tax gatherer's joy, "like magic in a pint bottle".
The author, who knew Speyside from boyhood, tells his story of the whisky world with a wealth of knowledge and anecdote. Like many another of Highland blood, he mourned the eclipse of the great malt whiskies, and wrote nostalgically of them and of the men who created them with loving care beside the waters of Spey and Livet. Those early distillers were the founders of the present traditions of "Scotch"; earlier there had been a century, rich in legend, of struggle between the faithful henchmen of worm and cauldron, and the watchful "gaugers".
The invention of the patent-still brought the potentialities of world domination. The foundations of whisky's empire were laid, and the expansion carried out, by men of colourful personality and formidable dynamism - John and Thomas Dewar, James Buchanan, Alexander and John Walker, John Haig. Sir Robert has many tales of these great figures.
To go round off his "personal history", he tells of the Distillers Company Ltd, of the fortunes of whisky during Prohibition, and of the state and condition of its empire in the abasements and upheavals of our times.
The contents of this book consist of
preface Part one THE WATER OF LIFE chapter I The Origins chapter II Glenlivet and the Grants chapter III Balmenach chapter IV Fine Folks chapter V The Rise of Grain chapter VI The 'What is Whisky?' Case Part Two THE WHISKY BARONS chapter I The Dewars chapter II The Walkers chapter III James Buchanan chapter IV The Haigs and Mackies Part Three WAR, PROHIBITION AND DOLLARS chapter I Amalgamation chapter II Prohibition chapter III Scotland's Drink chapter IV Whisky Now Index Illustrations There are no illustrations in this book.
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